Wedding Reception Venues: Selecting Your Dream Location

Selecting a wedding venue for your reception
can be an overwhelming task. We’ve taken the legwork out of your search to help
you find the perfect location for you and your groom.

1. Hotel Plazas & Ballrooms
Today’s hotels run the gamut with stunning interior design and panache, making
it a breeze for couples to find one that suits their particular theme or
personal style. Most luxury hotels will provide everything you need for the
wedding reception (linens, stemware, dance floor and entertainment setup), as
well as appoint coordinators to assist in organizing even the smallest detail.

Good to know: Hotels can book months—even years—in
advance, and depending on your wedding guest list, these exclusive services can
get pricey. Typical reception costs include food and beverage fees per person,
valet accommodations and various service fees—all separate from the site fee.

Some hotels also restrict the use of
outside catering companies or work exclusively with a select list of vendors,
limiting your choices for photographers, bands/DJs or other special event
companies.

2. Private Homes
Using a private home for your wedding venue certainly has a more intimate feel
than receptions created in a larger space. Here, you can really let your
personality shine— without decorating restrictions or limits on hiring
particular vendors.

Good to know:
Having your wedding venue at home may cut out some of the miscellaneous costs
associated with renting a private space. However, celebrity wedding and event
planner Sasha Souza recommends hiring a special team to bring in party
supplies and help with setup.

Souza also informs that holding your
wedding reception at a private property will require you to rent tables,
chairs, silverware . . . everything, which will have a much higher rate of
expense.

3. Banquet Halls
Banquet halls can accommodate as many or as few people as your reception guest
list allows. Often the most sought-after banquet halls are ones with a romantic
atmosphere, breathtaking views of city skylines, or those in close proximity to
waterfronts and other scenic areas. Another selling point: banquet halls
usually include setup of tables, chairs and other party supplies in the site
fee.

Good to know:Like hotel plazas, banquet halls can
book far in advance, which means the wedding venue might not be available on
the day of your reception.

Depending on the day of your wedding
reception (weekends being the most popular), your minimum food and beverage fee
can cost anywhere from $8,000 and up.

Other logistics such as guest parking
and/or valet service may also incur costs not associated with the rental fee
for the venue.

Good to know:
Depending on what part of the country—or world—you’re located, temperatures may
vary. For example, if you’re planning a Georgia wedding in the middle of July,
you might want to rethink using an outdoor venue.

While you can’t predict the forecast
too far in advance, Souza recommends providing outdoor tents or booking an
indoor venue in case you need an indoor space. Outdoor wedding receptions also
require portable bathrooms, which can cost an extra $800-$3000 per day.

5. Church/Municipal Auditoriums
Churches and municipal halls are typically the least expensive of wedding venues
to rent, allowing couples to book for a flat fee, Souza says. These public
facilities include an on-site selection of items you’d normally procure through
a rental company. You also can bring in anyone you'd like [caterers, florists,
assembly crews] to do the job. Unlike outdoor wedding venue, indoor public
facilities come equipped with a number of restrooms for guests, and you won’t
incur any of the incidental rental fees that you could have with holding your
reception on a private property.

Good to
know:Keep in mind, these venues are a
blank slate. Souza advises couples that church auditoriums often need a lot of
decor, so you’re responsible for bringing in lighting, candles and any other
decorative accents to create the ambiance you desire.

Even though tables and seating are
included in your rental fee, a downside, Souza warns, is they may not be in the
best condition due to constant use.

6. Restaurants
Food is the cornerstone of any celebration, and what better place to
commemorate your wedding than at your favorite restaurant. Most fine dining
establishments offer large party rooms for wedding receptions and can arrange a
special menu with dishes of your choice.

Good to know:
The "look" of the wedding venue is already in place, so be sure to
select a location that you love for its fare as well as its decor. If you
select a restaurant in a popular area (downtown, riverfront, town square,
etc.), parking may be an issue and you’ll want to hire a valet service or
reserve a nearby parking lot for your guests.

Also, if you’re not renting out the
entire wedding venue, more than likely you’ll have to share common areas such
as the bathroom and main bar with other patrons.

No matter what you choose for your wedding
planning, the space should always reflect your personality, put
your guests at ease and create an atmosphere for making memories to last a
lifetime.